Work smart, not hard - facing the culture of busyness
I came across an insightful article in the Harvard Business Review, a reminder of the importance of maintaining efficiency in today's fast-paced work environments.
Research suggests that as people become busier, their efficiency tends to decline. Incentives often emphasize busyness and "hard work," but this approach can lead to employees operating on autopilot, following established rules without questioning their relevance. This can be especially risky in the dynamic landscape of the hi-tech industry, where change is the only constant.
The Busyness Bias
Busyness is a part of human nature, often driven by a cognitive bias known as "effort justification." This bias leads individuals to believe that the harder they work on a task, the more valuable it becomes. It's a mindset that can be detrimental to productivity in the long run.
Shifting the Focus
As leaders and managers, it's crucial to redirect the focus of your team towards outcomes rather than mere activity.
Here are some strategies to help your team prioritize their efforts effectively:
1. Reward Output, Not Just Activity
Incentives should align with the results achieved, not just the effort put in. Acknowledge and reward employees for the value they deliver to the organization, rather than the number of tasks they complete or the hours they put in.
2. Cultivate Deep Work and Eliminate Low-Value Activities
Reducing cognitive load and creating an environment that supports concentration is vital. Encourage a single-priority approach, minimize task-switching, and eliminate distractions such as errors, low-value tasks, and unnecessary alarms.
3. Encourage Downtime
Challenge the culture of working round the clock. Ask employees why they commit to overnight tasks or work during weekends. Remind them of the importance of unplugging during holidays and not responding to emails.
4. Lead by Example
As a leader, set the tone by taking vacations yourself and demonstrating that being constantly busy doesn't equate to being productive. Be available to your team when they need you and emphasize the importance of achievements over the appearance of busyness.
5. Introduce Slack
Allocate extra resources, whether it's time, money, equipment, or space for experimentation. Building redundancy, like pair programming, can also be cost-effective compared to the potential losses associated with an overworked team.
"Never mistake activity for achievement." In the hi-tech industry, where change is constant, being busy doesn't always equate to being productive. By shifting the focus towards outcomes, cultivating deep work, encouraging downtime, leading by example, and introducing slack, leaders, and managers can foster an environment that values efficiency over busyness, ultimately benefiting both employees and the organization as a whole.
References and related materials
- Good manager is not busy all the time
- Assess accomplishments, not responsibilities
- How to Plan Your Week as an Engineering Leader
- 🔒 (Premium content) Leader's Week - how to maximize your weekly impact
- HBR Article "Beware a culture of busyness" was published in March-April 2023 Issue
Mirosław Stanek